The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-06-10
THE GREAT NORTHWEST.


THE GREAT NORTHWEST.
One Hundredfh Annlveraary Of Its Cessioa
to the United States.
The cession Of the Northwest Terri
tory to the Federal Government forms
an important chapter in the history of
the country. The problem Of the own
ership Of the land which the various
States claimed at the far West, was one
of the most serious obstacles to an
agreement upon the Articles Of Confed-
Grafton. As early as 1778, Maryland
insisted that the western limits of the
States ought to be restricted. and the
title to the western lands vested in the
United States Her argument was ex-
pressed the following year in the in
structions Of her General Assembly to
her delegates in Congress:
Suppose, for instance. Virginia in
disputably possessed of the extensive
and fertile country to which she has
set up q claim. what would be the
probable consequences to Maryland of
such an undisturbed and undisputed
possession? Virginia, by selling on
the most moderate terms small pro-
portion of the lands in question. would
draw-into her treasury vast sums Of
money, and, in proportion to the sums
arising from such sales. would be ena-
bled to lessen her taxes. Lands COM
paratively cheap and taxes compare
lively low, with the dear lands and
taxes of an adjacent State. would
quickly drain the State thus disadvan-
circumstanced of its most
useful inhabitants; its wealth and its
in the scale of the confed-
Grated States would sink"
Delaware, in 1879. presented to Con-
gress several resolutions of its Legis-
lature, declaring that as the tract of
west of State frontiers would
be won from Great Britain by the
blood and treasure of all, it ought to be
"a common estate" The resolutions
also included the following:
'Resoired, That this State thinks IT necessary
for the peace and safety of the States to be in
Guided in the Union, that q moderate extent of
limits should be assigned for such of those
States as claim to the Mississippi or South Sea;
and that the United States in Congress assem-
bled should and ought to have the power of fix
Ing their western limits"
In the spring of 1880, New York
passed an act empowering its dele
gates in Congress to cede to the
United States the territories in which it
proprietary right. giving as
q reason that it found the Articles of
Confederation opposed by some on the
ground ''that portion Of the waste
and uncultivated territory within the
limits or claims of certain States ought
to be appropriated as common fund
for the expenses of the war" Its ac-
ton was expressly declared to be I'M
iertaken ''tO accelerate the Federal al |
lance by removing the before-men-
Toned impeachment" Congress there
lpon asked all the States having claims
TO the Western country to follow the |
of New York. This Virginia |
vas foremost to do, IN 1884. Massa-
Connecticut, TIE Carolinas
md Georgia followed. In several cases.
not in all. proprietary rights over
ONE tracts were retained, but these
we're small in proportion to those
-ielded.
Virginia's noble gift was the North
Western Territory, out of which were
July formed Ohio. Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin, with a part
# Minnesota. 1t was promptly ac-
epted, and a temporary provision
made for its government. This gave
way to the famous Ordinance of July
3. 1871, the final article of which pro-
ided that there should be neither
lavery nor involuntary servitude in
he Territory, except for the punish
nent of crimes. expressly adding. how
yer, provision for the return of fugi-
ives. '.from whom labor 'or service is
awfully claimed in any one of the
riginal States"
Two forts already existed in this
erritory north of the Ohio, and the or
nance of 1877 expressly provided for
he property of 1.-THE French and Cana
ian inhabitants and other settlers of
he Kaskaskias, St. Vincents, and the
villages who have hereto
ore professed themselves citizens of
'irginia." But it was in the spring
the passage Of the ordinance
1887 that the first regular colony
'as sent from the original States, UNI
err General Rufus Putnam, and estab-
shed itself at the junction of the Mus
lngum with the Ohio. naming the set
ement Marietta. General st. Clair.
ne new Governor of the Territory, and
Sargent, the Secretary. soon
and the place was strongly
,rtified N Y Cun